


giving it all

by windthorne



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Lots of Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-22
Packaged: 2018-04-10 09:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4386407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windthorne/pseuds/windthorne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"i'll give my heart to you, because paper hearts were meant to unfold."</p>
<p>a collection of zutara prompts, some angsty, some lighthearted. mostly angsty though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. soulmates

**Author's Note:**

> hi y'all! here's another bundle of drabbles from yours truly. all of these can be viewed on tumblr of course, since that's where all these prompts were sent in. thank you to all the people that sent me these! hopefully i can get off my lazy butt & do some more soon.
> 
> in the meantime, enjoy this mess i call my writing ^_^

_soulmates au_

* * *

 

“Sometimes, my nephew can be quite the liar.” Iroh muses as he and Toph sit at a miniscule table, far away from the rest of the noblemen and women mingling amongst one another.

“Sparky? A good liar?” Toph snickers. “Since when?”

Iroh sips his tea in between his words, “Since Katara and Aang announced their engagement last spring.”

Toph pauses, little pieces to a puzzle connecting in her mind.  _Ah. This is true._

“They’re not subtle white lies, either,” he explains slowly, “He repeatedly tells two lies, over and over, even to me.”

“What are they?” Toph asks, extremely curious, but also already knowing what he will say.

“The first lie is that he is very happy for the two and their love.” He pauses to indicate the meaning behind that, letting the words sink in. She understands immediately.

“The second is that he never loved her.”


	2. pretending to hate each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: toph's pov is life.

_pretending to hate each other au_

* * *

 

Their insults rumble the temple more than Toph’s earthbending does, and this amazes everybody, especially Toph herself.

“You’re an idiot! How stupid do you think I am?” Sugar Queen’s nagging voice resonates throughout the landscape, clear and booming. “I know you were peeking when I was taking a bath! You perverted, disgusting, insane—”

“Me? Insane?” Sparky’s voice is just as raucous, only much deeper. “You’re the one assuming I would go through such lengths to do such a thing to you!I was just looking for Momo!”

“Whom which would clearly be with Aang!” she yells back obnoxiously. “Don’t you have a brain in that messy head of yours?”

“You’re the one with the messy head! Learn to brush that mane of yours!”

“Learn to brush  _yours_! And keep your eyes off me!”

Their words sound so demeaning and rude, and yet Toph can’t help but  _feel_ the falsity behind them. Their constant bickering was only showcasing how painfully obvious it was that they had the hots for each other.

The little earthbender tilts her head upwards, motioning to the sky with a smirk. “Yue, they’re both idiots.”


	3. taboo love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: one word: FORESHADOWING.

_living in a society where their love is taboo au_

* * *

 

“Do you think that in another life, we could be together?”

Visions of cerulean fabric and amber eyes quickly appear in his head, only to disappear just as fast. Other images of golden crowns, water-sewn necklaces, and marred faces distantly tremor in the back of his mind, but they remain nonexistent to his current thoughts.

“I hope so.” he answers quietly, his hand tracing the pulse of the woman that lies next to him. “I want to believe so.”

Katara turns to face him, azure eyes staring at him intently. He is reminded of the ocean, tidal waves crashing on the shore repeatedly.

“Still. We can’t keep pretending that this—” she points at their bodies, so close yet so timidly far, “—that this isn’t happening.  _They_  will find out eventually.”

He lets the memories of another soul pass through his everyday. It makes him  _feel_  something, especially for the girl who wore the sea. And he wants to believe her, oh how he wants to.

"Let them,” he says, pulling her close despite it all. “No matter what they do, I’ll always find my way back to you.”

Zuko watches her hold her breath, waiting for him to finish speaking. He sees sharp-point ships and arrow-heads. Warm coats and blue, blue eyes.

“Even if it means in another life.”


	4. going to war

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i made it to where katara found zuko during the day of the black sun???? what?? okay sure??

_going to war au_

* * *

 

“Are you sure you can do this?” she asked him, hesitantly. She would have never thought a traitor like him would suddenly be on her side—that he would even dare try to act like he was.

But she saw the sincerity in his amber eyes—an honesty that reminded her of the crystal catacombs, but without the uncertainty that lingered underneath. He was  _serious_ , and she wanted to believe so.

“I can,” Zuko said, grasping the wall that hid them just so. “I will. I have to. I can’t…” he laid a hand to the scar that once connected them, if only just for a moment. “I can’t turn my back to what I know is right.”

Katara was still angry with him. Extremely infuriated. She wanted to strangle him, freeze him,  _hurt_  him for what he did to her in Ba Sing Se. But she watched him, how calculating his eyes were, how burned he was inside, and how he held his dao swords so tightly that they might snap.

She reached out a hand to touch his scar, but he stopped her, grasping her wrist before she could move any further. ”Don’t,” he ordered, igniting the nation he was born into. “Not yet.”

“Why?” she asked.

Zuko let go, and began to back away from her slowly. “My father. I have to face  _him_  first…”

She said nothing, a whirlwind of emotions clinging to her skin.  _What should she feel for him?… Traitor, enemy, friend… someone._

“I’m sorry. I don’t have enough time,” he stopped suddenly, meeting her gaze. “But once I come back, I’ll explain everything.”

She was pinned in her place by his eyes, confused and unable to move even when he disappeared behind the wall.

Katara had always thought she could freeze Zuko in the blink of an eye. But now she began to wonder when exactly  _he_  became able to do it to  _her_.


	5. star-crossed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: i don't think i'll ever get over a:tla t b h

_star-crossed lovers au_

* * *

 

The word “ _love_ “ tasted bitter in her mouth as time went on.

She and him tended to play with phrases like “ _where were you when I needed you_ ” and “ _why is the world fighting us_.” But never with “ _I can’t love you_ ,” because that was impossible for either of them to utter out loud.

But the opposite— _I can love you, I do love you, I love you_ —was just as impossible as well.

His hand reached out for hers. “You have Aang,” he said. “And I have Mai.”

Their fingers lingered dangerously close to one another, but she refused to move any further, afraid of what could have been. 

“I wish it was different,” she replied softly. ”I wish it was you.”

But fate didn’t let things slip so easily through the cracks


End file.
